Tuesday, February 01, 2011

Embraer To Unveil Full Portfolio Of Jets At Aero India 2011

By Anantha Krishnan M. anantha.ak@gmail.com(AW&ST)
Bangalore

Embraer will display its full portfolio of products – from executive, airline, defense and security segments – at Aero India 2011, the first time these aircraft have appeared at an air show in India.
“We are coming to India with a Phenom 100, Phenom 300, Lineage 1000, and the latest jet in our suite – the Legacy 650 – which was certified in October 2010. All these will be at the static display area. This time, we are focusing clearly on the executive jet segment and on the defense and security area,” an Embraer official tells Aviation Week.
With a strong presence in the Indian market, Embraer has placed products with both national government agencies and private companies. The company has made particularly significant progress in the executive aviation sector. Key customers in India which operate the Phenom 100 include Aviators India Pvt. Ltd. and Invision Pvt. Ltd. The latter received the first two Phenom 100s in India, part of a total order for 18 Phenom 100s and two Phenom 300s.
The Indian government currently operates five Legacy 600 jets, used mainly by the Indian air force and the Border Security Force, under India’s Home Ministry. India also uses the executive jets for various VIP missions.
On the defense front, the government has also ordered three EMB 145 AEW&C (Airborne Early Warning and Control) aircraft for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. They will be equipped with the advanced electronic systems being developed by India’s Defense, Research and Development Organization (DRDO). This deal covers training, technical support, spare parts and ground support equipment. The First EMB-145 is scheduled to roll out on Feb. 21 in Brazil.
Embraer is among the few companies that saw the growing market potential in India at the beginning of the last decade. India is probably the only country in Asia to have placed orders for a wide range of its platforms. The Phenom 100 is said to be priced at about $4 million and is capable of flying 1,200 nm. with four passengers weighing 90 kg.